Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Virgo (Vir)  ·  Contains:  IC 3258  ·  IC 3311  ·  M 84  ·  M 86  ·  NGC 4374  ·  NGC 4387  ·  NGC 4388  ·  NGC 4402  ·  NGC 4406  ·  NGC 4413  ·  NGC 4425  ·  NGC 4431  ·  NGC 4435  ·  NGC 4436  ·  NGC 4438  ·  NGC 4440  ·  NGC 4458  ·  NGC 4459  ·  NGC 4461  ·  NGC 4473  ·  NGC 4477  ·  NGC 4479  ·  The Eyes
Markarians Chain, Colin Pearce
Markarians Chain
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Markarians Chain

Markarians Chain, Colin Pearce
Markarians Chain
Powered byPixInsight

Markarians Chain

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Description

In the middle of the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies lies a striking string of galaxies known as Markarian’s Chain. The chain, is highlighted on the bottom left with two large but featureless lenticular galaxies, M84 and M86. Above them just left of centre is a pair of interacting galaxies known as The Eyes. The Virgo Cluster is the nearest cluster of galaxies, and contains over 2000 galaxies, and has a noticeable gravitational pull on the galaxies of the Local Group of Galaxies surrounding our Milky Way Galaxy. The center of the Virgo Cluster is located about 70 million light years away toward the constellation of Virgo. At least seven galaxies in the chain appear to move together, although others appear to be superposed by chance.

Of particular note from my light polluted garden is bottom right NGC 4446 and NGC 4447, which are at at staggering 352 and 348 million light years distance respectively.

The annotated image shows the major galaxies present.

155 x 75 secs Lights unguided

MasterBias, MasterDark and MasterFlat

All edited in Pixinsight

From my light polluted garden, need a dark sky site next winter.

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Markarians Chain, Colin Pearce